The FTSE 100 opened higher in another week set to be dominated by Brexit negotiations, with Brexit secretary David Davis to start the second round of talks with the EU's Michel Barnier.

On the company news front, Carolyn McCall, the EasyJet boss, will join ITV as chief executive. McCall, who begins her new role in January 2018, had been the front runner to secure the broadcaster's vacant top job after Adam Crozier stepped down at the end of June.

Meanwhile growth in China, the world's second-largest economy, stayed at an annual rate of 6.9 per cent, outperforming expectations for the second quarter in a row.